Remotely indicating compass



' Oct. 19, 1943.

v. E. cARBoN R'A REMOTELY INDICATING COMPASS Filed Feb. 20 1 941 RECEIVER TRANSMITTER I SR vs w W;

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\ Ala ATTORNEY W7. ELECl'RlC Si Patented Oct. 19, 1943 REMOTELY INDICATING COMPASS Victor E. Carbonara, Manhasset, N. Y., assignor to Square D Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application February 20, 1941, Serial No. 379,809

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in remotely indicating systems and has for its object, broadly, the provision of a multiple remote indicator selectively operable from a plurality of transmitters and readable without ambiguity.

This object may be illustrated by a specific application which this invention has to the art of navigation.

A craft such as, for example, an airplane is normally steered according to the indications of a directional instrument such as a compass or a gyroscope.

Under certain conditions, however, it becomes necessary that the craft be steered according to factors other than azimuthal direction, To the pilot of a bombing plane, for example, the compass course is only of interest until the plane has reached the vicinity of the target to be bombed. From then on the actual compass course is of little interest and the pilot has to steer the plane according to instructions from the bombardier. These instructions may be given automatically according to the adjustment of a bomb sight directed by the bombardier on the target and visibly indicated to the pilot on the instrument panel.

There may for this purpose be provided on the instrument panel a deviation from course indicator indicating in which direction the course of the craft has to be altered in order to approach the target in the proper direction. In the neighborhood of the target the pilot thus has to disregard the indications of the compass and follow the visual directions given through the deviation from course indicator.

Aside from the disadvantage of requiring two different instruments on the already crowded instrument panel, the presence of two instruments is likely to lead to ambiguity in the indication and resulting confusion of the pilot.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide for this specific and other comparable uses a remote indicator selectively operable by a plurality of transmitters.

Returning to the specific example,it is thus an object of the invention to provide a direction indicator selectively operable from the transmitter of a remote compass or directional gyroscope or from the transmitter coupled to a bomb sight.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a common remote indicator for use in connection with a plurality of transmitters, a plurality of indicating elements, preferably one for each transmitter, together with means for visually distinguishing between the several indicating elements.

In carrying out this object, the invention aims at providing as a particularly simple and inexpensive embodiment, a remote indicator having a plurality of dials only one of which cooperates with the pointer at a time, thereby eliminating ambiguity in the reading of the indicator.

The invention further aims at providing a remote indicator for use with a plurality of transmitters in which one of a plurality of indicating elements is rendered visible automatically upon actuation of the corresponding transmitter.

The invention further aims at providing a remote indicator selectively actuable by a first transmitter operated by alternating current and a second transmitter operated by direct current.

The invention further aims at providing means for selectively connecting a remote indicator having a plurality of indicating elements to one of a plurality of transmitters upon rendering visible the indicating element associated with that transmitter.

Further aims, objects and advantages of this invention will appear from a consideration of the description which follows with accompanying drawings showing for purely illustrative purposes embodiments of this invention. It is to be understood, however, that the description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a wiring diagram illustrating the manner of selectively connecting a common receiver to an alternating current and a direct current transmitter;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a remote transmission unit which may be used as an A. C. transmitter or receiver or as a D, C. receiver;

Fig. 3 is a front view of a form of remote indicator according to this invention;

Fig. 4 is a front view of a multiple dial and actuating means for manually interchanging the dials;

Fig. 5 shows elements of the device of Fig. 4 modified for remote actuation;

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating automatic switching means for connecting the common receiver to one or the other of a pair of transmitters; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a D. C. transmitter incorporated in a sighting device.

Referring to Fig. 1, an A. C. transmitter is shown as comprising a movable Z-shaped armature H] having a shaft l I. The armature is movable Within a field created by field coils l2 and I3. The armature H3 is polarized by means of a polarizing Winding i4 and adjusted in azimuth by a direction maintaining element shown, in the illustrated example, in the form of a pair of permanent magnets l5 and It.

The common receiver is of similar structure as the transmitter. Primed reference numerals each room are, accordingly, used to identify corresponding elements.

The receiver is mounted with its armature shaft II in a horizontal position moving a point er I? in a substantially vertical plane. The armature Iil of the receiver may again be of Z- shape movable within a field of coils I2 and I3 and polarized by means of a polarizing winding I l.

The actual arrangement of the elements of the transmitter and receiver is perspectively illustrated in Fig. 2 showing the field coils I2 and I3 arranged at right angles to each other and to the shaft II of the armature IE The polarizing coil M is coaxially arranged with respect to the armature shaft.

A source of alternating current connected to the terminals of the polarizing winding I4 will cause the armature vanes forming the Z-structure with the shaft II to change their polarity with each cycle of the alternating current thus causing the armature to assume a position relatively to the field coils I2 and I 3 depending on the direction of the resulting magnetic field created by said field coils.

This form of transmitter and receiver is disclosed in the patent to Paul Kollsman No. 2,239,- 790 dated April 29, 1941.

Returning to Fig. 1, a second transmitter operable by direct current is shown in the form of a potentiometer comprising a resistor I8 and a movable contact I 9. The movable contact is adjusted relatively to the resistor in dependence on the direction of a controlling element such as a sight 20.

Sources of alternating and direct current are shown as an A. C. generator 2! and a battery 22 connectible to the respective transmitter and receiver by means of a common multiple switch 23. The switch has movable contacts 24, 25 and 26 cooperating With fixed contacts 21, 28; 29, 30; and 3|, 32 respectively.

In the position shown in Fig. 1, the receiver is connected to transmitter I and supplied with alternating current from the generator 2I. The polarizing windings I 6 and Ml are connected in parallel across the terminals of the generator. A first supply lead 33 leads to the one terminal of the polarizing windings Hi, It while a return lead 33 connects the remaining terminals of the polarizing windings with the other terminal of the generator through switch contacts 26 and 32.

The alternating current flowing through the polarizing windings I d, I I will thus cause the armatures I 2 and I 3 to change their polarity with each cycle of the A. C. The armature I will thus induce an E. M. F. in the field windings I2 and I3 depending on the relative position between the armature and the field windings.

The transmitter field windings are connected in parallel to the corresponding field windings in the receiver in which thus a resultant magnetic field is set up moving the receiver armature III into the same position which the transmitter armature occupies with respect to its associated field windings.

The field windings I2 and I3 of the transmitter are interconnected at 35. The corresponding field windings l2 and I3 of the receiver are interconnected at 36. Conductors 37 and 33 lead from the connecting points and 33 to the lead 33. The remaining terminal of the field winding I2 is connected to the corresponding terminal of the field winding I2 of the receiver through lead 39, contacts 28, 24 and lead 40.

The remaining terminal of the field winding I3 is connected to the second terminal of the corresponding receiver Winding I3 through lead II, contacts 30, 25 and lead 42.

With the multiple switch 23 in the position as it is shown in Fig. 1, the transmitter and receiver are connected in parallel and the armature of the receiver will repeat the position of the armature of the transmitter. Equipped with a compass dial, the pointer I? will thus indicate at a remote point the position of the directional element I5, It.

If the receiver is to be operated from the second transmitter, for example, for the purpose of steering the craft according to the position of a sighting device 29 rather than the compass course, the multiple switch 23 is moved into the other position thereby disconnecting the field windings I2 and I3 of the first transmitter from the corresponding field windings I2 and I3 of the receiver by opening contacts 23, 28 and 25, 3G. The movable contacts 24 and 25 are now connected to leads 43 and 4:3 at fixed contacts 27 and 29 respectively. The leads 43 and it are connected to the terminals of the resistor E8. The movable contact I9 adjustable in dependence on the position of the sighting device 20 is connected to the battery 22 through a lead 45.

By the same movement of the switch 23, the generator 2| is disconnected from the receiver and first transmitter by opening contacts 26 and 32. In its place, the battery 22 is connected in the circuit by closing contacts 26 and 3|. The polarizing winding I4 of the receiver is thus supplied with direct current from the battery 22 through leads 33 and 3 3. The polarized armature It will now assume a position relatively to the field windings I2, I3 depending on the strength of the magnetic fields set up by each field Winding.

If the movable contact I9 of the potentiometer is moved to the left, the strength of the magnetic field of the field coil I2 will reach a maximum while at the same time the strength of the field coil I3 will be at a minimum. The armature I3 will, accordingly, be moved into a position in which its poles are aligned with the poles of the cOil I3.

If the movable contact I9 is moved into the opposite extreme position, the strength of the field winding I3 will reach a maximum and the strength of the field winding I2 will reach a minimum. The armature will thus assume a position difiering from the previously described position.

If the movable contact I9 is in a center position, field windings I2 and I3 will set up magnetic fields of equal strength thereby causing the armature to assume a 45 position with respect to each field Winding.

In Fig. 3 a suitable form of dial for the receiver is illustrated. The dial consists of two portions, a permanent portion 35 shown as bearing directional graduations Li? and an interchangeable portion 48 bearing on its visible portion deviation from course markings 49 and on its concealed portion directional graduations for completing the directional graduations of the dial B3 to form a 360 dial. Correct course is indicated by a position of the pointer opposite the center marking 49. This position of the pointer corresponds to a position of the movable contact I9 of transmitter II in the center of the resistor I8.

By operating a knob iii] switching means corresponding to switch 23 may be actuated and the dial portion 48 interchanged. This may be accomplished by rotating the dial portion 48 to become invisible while rendering visible the concealed portion which contains the portion missing on the compass dial 46. Various forms of mechanism may be employed for this purpose.

The patent to Abrahamson'No. 2,103,606 dated December 28, 1937 illustrates one form of multiple dial which may be used for devices in which more than two transmitters are used for actuating a common receiver.

A simple and inexpensive form of mechanism for use in an installation having two transmitters is illustrated in Fig. 4. In this embodiment the carrier for the interchangeable dial is a disk carrying both the deviation from course markings 49 and a further dial portion 52 for completing the graduations 4'! to form a 360 dial. The disk 5| is rotatable concentrically with the pointer shaft I by means of a pinion 53 meshing with a toothed sector 54. The sector 54 is mounted on a shaft 55 of the knob 50. A rotation of the knob 50 in counterclockwise direction will cause a movement of the disk 5| in clockwise direction.

This movement is limited by a fixed stop 56 cooperating with a, slot 51 in the disk. The stop is so adjusted that in one end position of the disk 5|, the center mark 49 and in the other position the zero mark 58 of the compass dial appears vertically above the pointer shaft. Means may be provided by biasing the movable dial carrier towards one or the other of its end positions.

In the illustrated embodiment, a lever 59 is shown pivoted at one end at 66 and carrying a roller 6| at the other end. The roller bears against an inclined race 62 of the sector and tends to maintain the sector in one or the other of the end positions under the force of a spring 63.

Switching means may be associated with the dial changing means for connecting to the receiver the transmitter corresponding to the interchangeable dial portion visible at the time.

In the illustrated embodiment, the switch is shown as including three aligned flexible springs, the top-most one being visible at 26. The springs cooperate with three pair of aligned make-contacts, one pair being visible at 3| and 32. The contact springs are actuated by means of insulating studs 64 and 65.

Instead of, or in addition to, manual interchanging means for the dials and switching means, automatic means may be provided for performing these operations.

In Fig. 5 a pair of electromagnets 66 and 61 are shown cooperating with soft iron cores 68 and 69. The soft iron cores are mounted on the arms of the toothed sector 54. In the illustrated position the electromagnet 61 was last energized, thereby moving the sector 54 to the right and closing contact 26, 32 while breaking the contact 26, 3| (Fig. 4).

The automatic switching and dial interchanging means may be connected to be automatically operated whenever an actuating device for the second transmitter is brought into operation or returned to an inoperative position. A circuit for performing this operation is shown in Fig. 6.

The electromagnets 66 and 61 for interchanging the dials and actuating the switching means are connectedthrough leads and H respectively to one terminal of the battery 22. The other terminal of the battery is connected to a movable contact 12 cooperating with contact segments 73 and 14. Contact segment 13 is con-- Search Recs nected to the other terminal of electromagnet 66 through a lead 15 while segment i4 is connected to the second terminal of the electromagnet 61 through a lead 16.

The contact arm 12 is normally in an inoperative position, shown .in dotted lines, without making contact with either of the segments l3 and 74. Into this position the arm was moved after last making contact with segment 14 thereby energizing electromagnet 61 and moving the switch into a position in which transmitter I (Fig. 1) is connected to the receiver.

If the actuating device to which transmitter II is connected is brought into use, the contact arm 12 is moved in succession over segments 14 and 13. This movement of the contact arm causes electromagnet 61 to be energized first without a resulting change in the dial and switch settings. Upon further movement, the contact arm 12 makes contact with segment 13, thereby energizing electromagnet 66 and putting the switch 23 into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 6. In this position the transmitter II is connected with the receiver. Simultaneously the dials of the transmitter are interchanged as shown in Fig. 5. Y

While the actuating device of transmitter II is in operation, the contact arm 72 remains in the position in which it is shown in solid lines in Fig. 6. When the actuating device is returned to its inoperative position, the arm 12 moves in succession over contact segments 13 and 74, thereby last energizing electromagnet 6'! and restoring the dial and switch setting for transmitter I.

Fig. 7 shows a support for a sighting device in which the switch 12, 13, 14 is incorporated. The sight (not illustrated in detail but represented by an axis 2) is mounted on a bracket 1'! pivoted in supports 18 and 19 on a shaft 80. To the reduced end 8| of the shaft 8|! extending through the support 18, the contact arm 12 is mounted with freedom of movement relatively to the shaft. A spring 82 resiliently connects the contact arm with the shaft and maintains the arm in one end position against a stop 83 as long as the sighting device is not in use. One end of the spring extends through a hole in the reduced end 8| of the shaft 80. The other end of the spring is secured to the arm 72 at 84.

The sighting device is brought into operation by tilting it about the axis of the shaft 80 thereby moving the contact arm 12 through the spring 82 over segments 14 and 73 into the other end position against a stop 85. After use the sighting device is permitted to tilt back into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 7 and the arm E2 returns to the illustrated position in which it rests against stop 83, thereby restoring the condition in which the receiver is connected to transmitter I and the compass dial completed by rotation of the dial carrier in a manner hereinbefore disclosed.

A movement of the sight in azimuth causes a rotation of the supports 18 and 19 together with their base plate 86 to which a transmitter may be connected.

In the illustrated embodiment, the base plate 86 carries the resistor IS. The base plate 86 rotates about a hollow central post 8'! through which the cable connection 88 is shown to extend. The movable arm |9 of the tran mitter is connected to post 81 thereby movin relatively to the resistor l8 in dependence on the azimuthal position of the sight.

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiments shown and described. Other forms of transmitters and repeaters may be used and other forms of dial changing and switching means be employed without departing from the spirit of this invention. Further this invention is not restricted to the described specific application to aircraft instruments. It is also not indispensable that all the features of this invention be used conjointly since they may advantageously be employed in various combinations and subcombinations.

In the claim the term rotatable armature is employed to define an armature capable of making complete rotations in distinction from armatures having limited freedom of movement of less than 360.

What is claimed is:

1. A remotely indicating system comprising, in combination, a figstjransmitter; a first element movable in dependence on the magnitude of a condition and connected to actuate said first transmitter; a s econd transmitter; a second element movable in dependence on the magnitude of a condition and connected to actuate said second transmitter, said second element being movable irom an inoperative position into an operative position; a switch actuated in response to the movement of said second element from said one position into the other; a receiver; a circuit connecting said transmitters with said receiver, said circuit including switching means for alternately connecting one or the other of said transmitters to said receiver; indicating means operable by said receiver, said indicating means including interchangeable indicating elements; and means controlled by said switch for jointly actuating said switching means and interchanging said indicating elements.

2. A remotely indicating system comprising, in combination, a first transmitter; a first element movable in dependence on the magnitude of a condition and connected to actuate said first transmitter; a second transmitter; a second element movable in dependence on the magnitude of a condition and connected to actuate said second transmitter, said second element being movable from an inoperative position into an operative position; a switch actuated in response to the movement of said second element from said one position into the other; a receiver; a circuit connecting said transmitters with said receiver, said circuit including switching means for alternately connecting one or the other of said transmitters to said receiver; indicating means operable by said receiver, said indicating means including interchangeable dials; a magnetic power means controlled by said switch, said power means being connected to actuate said switching means and to interchange said dials.

3. A remotely indicating system comprising, in combination ap A. C. transmitter including a plurality offieldfwi iidings, a Z-sh'aped armature rotatable relatively to said windings, and an energizing winding for polarizing said armature; a first element movable in dependence on the magnitude of a condition and connected to actuate said A. C. transmitter; a D. C. transmitter; a second element movable in dependence on the magnitude of a condition and connected to actuate said D. C. transmitter, said second element being movable from an inoperative position into an operative position; a switch actuated in response to the movement of said second element from said one position into the other; a receiver including a plurality of field windings, a Z-shaped armature rotatable relatively to said windings, and an energizing winding for polarizing said receiver armature; a circuit connecting said transmitter with said receiver, said circuit including sources of A. C. and D. C. and switching means for connecting one or the other of said transmitters to said receiver; indicating means operable by said receiver, said indicating means including interchangeable indicating elements; means for interchanging said indicating elements; and power means controlled by said switch for jointly actuating said switching means and interchanging said indicating elements.

4. A remotely indicating system comprising, in combination, an A. C. transmitter including field windings and having an armature capable of r0- tating through 360 relative to said field windings and a winding for polarizing said armature; a D. C. transmitter having an armature capable of rotating through 180; a receiver including field windings and having an armature capable of rotating through 360 relative to its field windings and a winding for polarizing said receiver armature; a circuit connecting said transmitters with said receiver, said circuit including sources of A. C. and D. C. and switching means for alter-.

nately connecting one or th other of said transmitters and the corresponding source to said receiver; indicating means operable by said receiver, said indicating means including two scales one of which is a scale of substantially 180 corresponding to the armature rotation of said D. C. transmitter and the other is a scale of 360, said 180 scale being complementary to the other scale thereby constituting a scale of 360 corresponding to the armature rotation of said A. C. transmitter; and manual operating means for jointly actuating said switching means and interchanging said scales.

5. A remotely indicating system comprising, in combination, an A. C. transmitter including a plurality of field windings, a Z-shaped armature capable of making complete rotations through 360 relatively to said windings, and an energizing winding for polarizing said armature; a D. C. transmitter having an armature capable of making a rotation through 180; a receiver including a plurality of field windings, a magnetizable Z- shaped armature capable of making complete rotations through 360 relatively to said windings, and an energizing winding for polarizing said armature; a circuit connecting said transmitters with said receiver, said circuit including sources of A. C. and D. C. and switching means for connecting one or the other of said transmitters and the corresponding source to said receiver; indicating means operable by said receiver, said indicating means including two scales one of which is a scale of substantially 180 corresponding to the armature rotation of said D. C. transmitter and the other is a scale of 360, said 180 scale being complementary to the other scale thereby constituting a scale of 360 corresponding to the armature rotation of said A. C. transmitter; means for interchanging said scales; and operating means for jointly actuating said switching and said interchanging means.

VICTOR E. CARBONARA. 

